The Family Center on Technology and Disability
Assistive Technology Works
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| Newsletter for July/August 2008 |
911: Emergency Preparedness, Assistive Technology and Universal Design In this Issue... Initially, there was little panic. On several occasions during the previous months exploding transformers had forced full scale evacuations of the 110-story towers. Soon, however, word passed that the source of the February 26 explosion was a bomb and that there were fatalities. Some panic ensued as tens of thousands of office workers made their way from great heights down pitch-dark staircases choked with smoke. As the evacuation proceeded, automated announcements over the buildings’ public address system urged workers to remain in their offices. The electricity had failed, knocking out all elevators. Marooned in their offices were dozens of individuals with disabilities or with medical conditions that left them unable to descend steep staircases in the darkness. Later, some were evacuated by the New York Police Department, the Fire Department of New York and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey whose officers used manually operated elevators to move individuals to the roof for helicopter evacuation. Others were not so fortunate. Late in the afternoon a group of four employees from the Dean Witter (now Morgan Stanley) securities firm were slowly descending the now empty and silent South Tower staircase from the 70th floor. The staircase remained dark and smoke-filled. About halfway to their destination the four heard clattering and voices behind and above them on the stairs. They also saw a thin, shaky sliver of light. The group halted and waited. Minutes later there emerged from the smoky gloom three men: two ambulatory, one in a wheelchair. The man in the wheelchair was in his mid-20s, the victim of a high school football accident, paralyzed from the waist down. It was he who held the small pen light so that those carrying him and his wheelchair could find their way down in the murk, stair by stair. His carriers were Dean Witter stockbrokers. They had carried him from the 81st floor before joining with the first group. The six took turns carrying the young man the rest of the way, to the lobby. Seven-plus years later, on September 11, 2001, he was not as fortunate. He didn’t make it out, nor did many others with disabilities. From that day forward, through the threat of more terrorist attacks, through tornadoes, fires, floods and blizzards as our weather has turned violent, through the Columbine and Virginia Tech shootings, facilities administrators, advocates for individuals with disabilities, parents of children with disabilities, manufacturers of AT and proponents of universal design have made huge strides in creating emergency preparedness technology and strategies for an increasingly inclusive society. This issue examines the role of AT and universal design in emergency preparedness. Bridge Multimedia Speaks Dr. Cronin, a long-time executive at Pearson Learning with a lengthy background in media, technology and accessibility, is Senior Vice President for Project Development, at Bridge Multimedia http://www.bridgemultimedia.com/. Bridge Multimedia is a New York City-based organization that is focused on universally accessible media with emergency, educational, commercial and government applications. As a member of the Department of Homeland Security’s National Preparedness Month Coalition, Bridge is also dedicated to the promotion of emergency information for people with disabilities. Dr. Cronin and Matt Kaplowitz, President and CEO of Bridge, are supported by John Cavanaugh and Anne Malia, editor and associate editor respectively of Bridge’s emergency preparedness online operations. Supporting our interview with the emergency preparedness experts at Bridge Multimedia are resources aimed at describing the relationship between occupational therapists and AT. In a departure from our usual editorial format, some resources and their URLs are cited within the lead article for the sake of immediacy while others are located in our “Resources” section. We also feature members of our Knowledge Network. The members spotlighted this month focus on emergency preparedness, AT and universal design. We invite you to contact these members for further information. Please share this newsletter with other organizations, families and professionals who may benefit from it. We invite you to visit us at http://www.fctd.info. We welcome feedback, new members and all who contribute to our growing knowledge base. The First Steps of Emergency Preparedness The first steps that persons with disabilities should take to start preparing themselves for an emergency: a. Make a kit – 7-day supply of medication, additional necessities Emergency Preparedness: The Roles of Assistive Technology and Universal Design in the Post-9/11 Era
Consider this: According to a 2005 Harris Poll/National Organization of Disabilities (NOD) survey on emergency preparedness among individuals with disabilities, the most recent survey available (www.nod.org/emergency) only 54% of respondents knew whom to contact in case of emergency.
Nevertheless, in this age of terrorism and violent weather, neither statistic is encouraging. Emergency preparedness for children and adults with disabilities is not what it ought to be. Financially strapped communities, businesses and other organizations appear reluctant to spend scarce funds on emergency preparedness for a relatively small segment of the population. A possible solution: implementation of universal design principles in emergency preparedness plans and technology. Universal design (UD), he notes, fits the need for accessible emergency preparedness because the concept is based on the principle that any person should be able to use a given space without requiring assistance. “Homes, schools, businesses, and public spaces centered on UD are therefore safer for people with disabilities.” He adds, “Individuals with disabilities are more vulnerable during emergencies and therefore require more extensive planning.” Technology, he adds, is an essential part of emergency preparedness and ought to be used in conjunction with non-technological methods that incorporate universal design. Without question, he says, “People with disabilities, including language disabilities or any disability that places an individual outside the mainstream, need access to information.” Parents Need to Be Proactive “Parents need to be proactive in the organizations and environments in which their kids are located,” Dr. Cronin remarks. “A generation ago parents regarded school officials almost as deities. That’s changed. Today, interaction between parents of children with disabilities and school officials is freer. As far as emergency preparedness is concerned parents have to approach school officials and inform them that their child has a disability. Parents should then ask those officials about the procedures that are in place to ensure that their child can respond to an emergency.”
Dr. Cronin recommends what he terms the “in-your-face approach” as the most effective for parents when interacting with public officials and administrators. “Every situation requires an advocate. It’s the same level of insistence and persistence that has proven helpful for parents when advocating for their child’s IEP: parents may sometimes have to push to make sure that a school’s approach to emergency notification and response incorporates the needs of the entire range of children under that roof.“ The best result, he stresses, is the formulation of a cooperative collaboration between public officials and parents, not an adversarial relationship based on mistrust. “That Should Be a No-Brainer” Surprisingly, however, it often is not a no-brainer, he says. “People stock up on water and food but can often neglect medication. If an individual is dependent on a daily medicine regimen then an extended supply is a must – because no pharmacy will be open. The same holds true for battery power for a mobility device or to operate AT. Back-ups are a must there as well.” No- and Low-Tech Solutions Explains Dr. Cronin: “The evolution of technology and the universality of the Web in schools and in public places are accelerating. As that technology continues to iron out its abilities to talk to itself, there will be a tremendous potential network for emergency awareness and notification.” “That’s fine for schools but what about restaurants or coffee shops, for example, which have no technology? They need to think about emergency preparedness as well.” The good news, he adds, is that there are many uncomplicated and inexpensive ways to develop awareness, to have evacuation signage available. In developing signage, however, these facilities must consider employees or customers who are blind and which languages are most prevalent in their respective communities. At Bridge Multimedia, he continues, “we’ve begun to explore the benefits of augmentative communication systems for a growing population of kids diagnosed with autism who are unable to utilize information provided in a text format.” For them, he notes, a pictogram can be effective along with very clearly illustrated instructions to ensure that emergency directions can be understood by those who are deaf, with low literacy, or non-English speaking. All-inclusive preparedness checklists complete with pictures are also useful, he notes. (See related article. Promoting Personal Preparedness: Universal Design and Health Interventions http://emergencyinfoonline.org/3030/family/health.php) Even a school that has not yet finished a complete evacuation or notification plan can assemble an interim plan, he says. Such a plan should highlight the name of the individual responsible for determining the number of children in a school who require special attention. “In a school where some students are hearing impaired, for example, the traditional method of employing bells to announce an emergency may be insufficient. Some children may have a sensory disability and the sound of bells may send them into a panic. How does a school manage that scenario and prepare for it?” He asks, “Can wheelchairs get through the doors? Are there stairs blocking the way? Which individuals have been designated to help students in wheelchairs surmount those problems? Should students with differing disabilities have different exit strategies? The responses to these questions constitute no-tech, low-tech preparedness.” To prepare for situations in which power and electronic communication are knocked out, he recommends a no-tech solution that includes the establishment of “buddy” procedures for those with special needs. He also advocates creation of clear, tactile signage indicating the location of exits and secure areas. He cautions: “No-tech and low-tech procedures need to be established as part of a back-up plan even when more advanced technology is available. Prepare Evacuation Routes The key for administrators, he notes “is to take the time to consider every disability that is likely to be in their environment and then determine how to notify each child with a disability about evacuation procedures – without digital support – and how to evacuate each child according to the limitations imposed by his/her disability.” Schools and businesses are moving forward to create these plans, he notes, but he worries about evacuation plans for public spaces. “In case of an emergency, what happens to a museum field trip group, for instance? A child on a field trip might be safe because his/her teacher might know what to do to keep the group safe.” Pinpointing the location of families with a child with disabilities in public space is another worry. “Museums, for example, usually know the whereabouts of a field trip group. What they can’t determine, however, is how many people are in their building with what kind of disabilities and language issues. Museums probably have an evacuation plan that gets their employees out and the capability to make announcements on a PA system. My guess is that this is an area where little has been done to date.” However, he states, “One can assume that any technology that exists that can count attendees or pass an individual into a building can also be expanded to accommodate the recognition of a disability in case of an emergency.” The Beauty of High-Tech This kind of high-tech solution, he concedes, “is not cheap because it is not yet ubiquitous, but it’s not rocket science either; it doesn’t require the deployment of any new digital concepts.” The key, Dr. Cronin adds, is to build standards that allow emergency signals to take over a plasma display instead of a dot matrix display. Other high-tech solutions can include:
Universal Design: the Single Solution The other challenge is obtaining student cell phone numbers. “A school can maintain cell phone numbers for all parents and can notify parents in case of emergency and make a single broadcast. That’s the workable aspect of cell phone notification. But to do it on a global scale is not yet possible. There is no network that exists for that purpose, nor is there an overriding 911 technology yet.” According to Mr. Kaplowitz, “This is an issue that is not often addressed, but there is no nexus, no clearinghouse for a global emergency announcement. [Currentlly] individual carriers broadcast [only] to their subscribers.” The question is, can the future promise of global cell phone notification be relied on now? The answer, says Bridge researcher Anne Malia, is that it can be somewhat relied on, based on her experience. “My hometown in New Jersey has a cell phone broadcast system. The problem, however, is that the cell phone emergency system in my community is effective only in so far that cell phone users can be convinced to sign up for it.” For those who sign up, here’s how it works: “You log onto the Web site, input your cell phone number and then begin to receive text messages or automated calls about developments like school closings and power outages and restoration, for example.” So far, she adds, the system has communicated with her only via text message, although an automated call option is available. Text messaging is effective for those who are hearing impaired, declares Dr. Cronin, but what about those who are vision impaired? “If a single solution is the goal, there are issues at every turn that cry out for resolution. Those who are pushing for a single solution end up at one destination: universal design.” He adds: “Building for all negates the necessity to build incrementally to suit each individual disability. Building incrementally is inefficient and very expensive. The architecture has to be built to accommodate specific disabilities and each time a new disability is accommodated the architecture must be reopened. It’s similar to the early days of Web site design when completed sites had to be torn apart to be made 508-compliant.” That potential for panic must be anticipated and reduced before the fact, he says. One of the most effective methods of panic reduction is drills. “As kids, we were sick of the fire drill. However, drills in general are designed to reduce the potential for panic during an actual emergency incident.” If an organization’s emergency notification process is activated, the process can become very complex when notification of children with multiple disabilities is inserted, Dr. Cronin points out. Therefore the need for drilling is increased exponentially. “Additionally, drilling spotlights weaknesses in the emergency process that can easily be corrected.” There are three values to drilling, he notes: 1) Children are taught to execute the process; 2) Drills reduce the potential for panic; 3) Drills identify procedural weaknesses. Community Outreach: Advocate for Your Kids Declares Dr. Cronin: “There needs to be a national advocacy in order to persuade people to become advocates. In other words, we need to make individuals aware that as a parent of a child with a disability, not only should you be pushing the child’s school to create an appropriate education plan but an emergency alert system as well. Caregivers and friends of children with disabilities in an environment such as a museum, an airport or any public space ought to make checks of their location in that facility and the location of exits. There should be signs posted in these public spaces. If the administrators of these spaces are unable to anticipate what ought to be done in case of an emergency they should at least designate a place to go to find that information.” In the case of younger children with disabilities, “it is important for parents to communicate special requirements to school officials and to those who operate other public spaces frequented by children with special needs.” Learning from the Past: History Need Not Repeat Itself Says Mr. Kaplowitz: “There have been some interesting get-togethers under the auspices of the FCC and other Washington, DC-based organizations in which individuals talked for days about emergency preparedness. I recall reading about one of them in which it was observed that one of the lessons learned after Katrina was the lesson of the trucks.” In pre-Katrina New Orleans, he explains, in the event of an emergency, trucks would fan out through the city to provide emergency mobile medical clinics. “When Katrina came, however, those trucks ran out of gas. Nobody had anticipated that! Officials and others were so occupied with building these superb mobile medical facilities that they had overlooked something as critical as refueling. They thought about generators, but they did not plan for a storm with a severe weeks-long impact. There was no way to bring in fuel for those wonderful trucks.” Dr. Cronin cites another Katrina example: “the media failed; the stations went off the air. How can emergency notification be conducted when that occurs? I’m not sure there’s a solution as much as there is a lesson here that points out a problem. In another instance, emergency shelters were not equipped with communications that could connect to the Internet. Even when communications were restored families could not be notified. (See related material http://www.hearinglossweb.com/Issues/EmergPlan/kat.htm) In any emergency, Dr. Cronin concludes, “the critical need is to disseminate information as fast as possible to individuals with disabilities and to their caregivers.” Achieving that goal, he concedes, is often far easier said than done. “Establishing effective emergency communications systems in schools and other facilities requires careful planning that takes into consideration the limitations of all disabilities, the location of individuals with disabilities within a structure of public space and the potential benefit of the technology we have at our disposal.”
In any list of “the future is now” emerging emergency notification and response technologies GPS (Global Positioning System) is at the top, he says. “Everybody uses GPS. GPS with location-based services on cell phones and other mobile devices can now guide users to almost 14 million points of interest in the U.S. with step-by-step instructions. Everybody is also familiar with real-time location tracking of cell phones to keep tabs on children and teenagers, he notes. “However, consider its use for an individual with a head injury or Alzheimer’s or dementia. Normally, the information can be delivered by text message but the text messaging can be linked to a text-to-speech device via a computerized voice.” The reverse, speech-to-text, is equally important for the deaf/hearing impaired in situations where real-time captioning is impossible. Today’s more accurate technology can listen to someone’s voice and then act on the data. This speech recognition technology is used for identification and for voice-based activation of electronic devices. Explains Mr. Kaplowitz, “Speech recognition can be linked in a chain of events so that it can recognize speech, output it as text and in a foreign language, depending on the language and the complexity.” “Back in the ‘old days,’ you could download a movie to your iPod, now you don’t have to download, you can stream it. This means there can be live TV on a phone, like you get in New York City taxis. Cell phone is kind of Frigidaire these days. It’s a mobile device, one of many kinds of mobile devices, which can contain any sort of emergency information, including notification, evacuation or recovery.” Speech-to-text is also useful in environments such as sports bars in which there is excessive ambient noise and, says Mr. Kaplowitz, is an excellent example of universal design. Similarly, he says, “text messaging has a new life replacing the old TTY devices. Users requiring text display are fleeing TTY to text messaging with various enhancements.” For those with limited manual dexterity, he continues, “there now exists a product manufactured by Kurzweil and NFB that was premiered at CSUN: a cell phone equipped with a camera. The camera can be employed to photograph a picture on a TV monitor, for example, or pages from a book.” The phone contains a device that converts the picture to speech which then emerges via a computerized voice. All these devices and enhancements already exist and are available in stores, he emphasizes. “The FCC-mandated 911 emergency notification is an important feature in every cell phone, which most cell phone users do not even realize,” he says. “Devices employing triangulation and GPS are mainly for outdoor use in wide open spaces. They don’t work when impeded by a roof or walls that block the GPS capabilities. In an enclosed environment a different type of technology is necessary. For that, radio frequency identification devices (RFID), like ankle bracelets [to track individuals’ movements] work well.” RFID devices may be useful for Alzheimer’s patients in an assisted living facility, for instance, or for nursing home residents or for use by groups of individuals with disabilities visiting public spaces such as hospitals, airports and museums, he points out. These and other devices are part of a broader category that exists under the heading of wireless sensors, he states. Wireless sensors and location tracking devices enhance greater community participation and can result in improved independence for individuals with disabilities in public spaces, he notes. “Electronic billboards, for some reason, are like the glue stick, which never achieved the universality of Post-Its. Yet this technology can receive data from any source and immediately display updated information. These billboards can be used where wire systems do not work as long as there is sufficient power in the billboard to keep it going.” This feature’s significance and value were demonstrated in New York City on September 11, 2001 when the city’s entire cell phone network infrastructure collapsed under the weight of millions of calls. “There’s nothing glamorous about this technology, Mr. Kaplowitz comments, “except that it works when nothing else does.” The Challenge of the Future: Systems Integration “Five years ago it took so long to boot your computer, but the process has constantly accelerated. The same principle holds for systems integration and the brain and power source behind it, making it possible to connect more types of technology and have those connections occur more rapidly.” Despite the glitter and promise of technology, however, and its immense promise for improving emergency preparedness, it is the low- and no-tech solutions that will save lives in the short run, he emphasizes. Dr. Cronin adds a disclaimer: “We see plenty of examples of a current focus on access technology; what we are not seeing enough of is people viewing this technology inclusively.” Matt Kaplowitz agrees. “That’s right. Many think of this technology only in terms of the next school shooting or the threat of international terrorism, but nowadays, with our increasingly violent weather, they are beginning to view this emerging technology in broader terms.” In fact, he concludes, “the emergency preparedness material I sift through from Washington centers on weather-related emergencies, not terrorism. It’s the next tornado or the next big fire that now catches the imagination.” In that scenario, he exclaims, “an emergency preparedness strategy based on universal design is the only strategy that is best for everyone.” Conducting Emergency Preparedness Drills
These examples provided by Bridge Multimedia Corporation illustrate how important notifications can be displayed in various ways to help aid people with disabilities. The example we are using is HOSPITAL. We have shown how you can display the word hospital in sign language, braille, on an AAC device and in Morse code. This can be replicated for emergency signs to be displayed in public buildings.
From Slater Software, creators and producers of Literacy Support Pictures™, here are some images that could be carried by ASD individuals who are non-verbal, or by others communicating with non-verbal individuals. “I need help” -- what a person could show to someone if their communication device was not working or was broken.
EcoSoft is building emergency notification systems for cities, school districts, and others. This image is a graphic representation of how the disparate technologies tie together to work as a full-scale system.
Emerging Technologies for Emergency Preparedness Emerging technologies that are now being utilized for emergency notification and emergency response include:
RESOURCES ARTICLES Emergency Preparedness Tips for Individuals with Disabilities
http://www.dor.ca.gov/emerprep.htm In Case of Emergency: Create a Plan
http://www.dati.org/newsletter/issues/2005n1/emergency.html
”For example, after the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, at the suggestion of the local emergency management office, The Associated Blind (a local service provider for low- and no-vision clients) worked with the New York City Fire Department to develop a building evacuation plan and drill for their staff, most of whom have limited or no vision. The Associated Blind wanted a plan for their staff members covering the range of problems that could occur during a disaster. On September 11, their efforts paid off. The entire staff calmly and safely evacuated their building’s 9th floor, a success they attribute directly to the customized advance planning and drills.” ”Also on September 11, a wheelchair user who worked on the 68th floor of the World Trade Center was safely carried from the building, thanks to a specialized chair purchased after the 1993 bombing. A Port Authority of New York and New Jersey employee escaped from the 70th floor because his prosthetic leg allowed him to keep pace with non-disabled workers on the emergency stairs - and, he says, because of experience gained in the building’s frequent fire drills since 1993.” ”During the attack on the Pentagon, equipment previously installed to help employees and visitors with low or no vision to evacuate the facility in the event of an emergency made it possible for dozens of sighted individuals to flee the smoke-filled corridors as well.” “Even though there are success stories, people with disabilities should not be lulled into euphoria. ‘We must still educate citizens with disabilities about realistic expectations of service during and after an emergency even while demonstrating a serious commitment to their special needs. Such education results in a more cooperative relationship with local authorities and enhances their appreciation of the concerns of people with disabilities. It also leads to improved response by the entire community,’ says Alan Reich, president, National Organization of Disabilities.”
On the technology’s utility in emergency situations, the paper notes, “Emergency broadcasts and 911 telephone services are being adapted to exploit new wireless data networks and mobile devices. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has mandated that all cell phone networks support Enhanced 911 (E911) so that a person calling 911 from their cell phone can be located. Carriers are using GPS (global positioning system) and triangulation to meet this mandate. The FCC, along with other Federal organizations, has made access to the Emergency Alert System (EAS) for persons with disabilities a priority.” Tips from Gallaudet University: Campus-Level His crisis management team researched notification systems. “In other universities, voice based systems such as a public address system is often used for the notification system. Here, that is not helpful. If there was an emergency in the campus there would be a visual alarm, usually for fire. If you have a biological or chemical threat, that will not work: The reason is that we as deaf people have learned from the elementary school all the way to the college level, that when you see the strobe alarm go off, it means fire and you exit the building, that is the procedure that everyone follows. If students leave their building during a chemical or biological threat, it makes matters worse. It is important to have a different solution when you need to communicate to shelter in place.” His team is investigating the utility of the following emergency-related devices: cable TV interrupt, improved signal strength for mobile devices, special transmitters and individual receivers and color coding visual signals. Promoting Personal Preparedness: Universal Design and Health Interventions The article includes a list of emergency preparedness planning tools, including two that are available in Spanish, Haitian Creole and Portuguese. FACT SHEETS National Weather Service Guide to Emergency Preparedness Forecasters at users’ local NWS Weather Forecast office determine if a severe weather event is occurring or about to occur, or local authorities determine that a hazardous event – such as a nuclear power plant problem, a chemical or biological accident -- has occurred. The information is immediately input to a computer at a local Weather Forecast Office and broadcast by NWR transmitters to areas at risk. Digital codes are added to each broadcast to identify the event and the specific counties affected. When the warning is received by an NWR SAME receiver, the receiver turns itself on, sounds an alarm, activates a warning light, writes a short message on the display, and activates connected external devices such as strobe lights, sirens or vibrators. FCC Consumer Advisory: Use of TTY Devices with Digital Wireless Phones
This fact sheet explains how these components function in times of emergency. GUIDES Emergency Preparedness and People Who Are Blind and Visually Impaired “One of the most difficult issues with regard to pre-event planning for any emergency is the overwhelming amount of information available. The Three Rings Analogy is a simplified means of identifying and explaining disaster preparedness in a manner that encourages step-by-step positive action. It is based on the idea of three concentric rings; each one inside the other.” “The center-most ring represents you, as an individual. What will you need? During most emergencies, unless it is a burning building or an unsafe or damaged structure, most people are told to shelter in place and wait for further instructions from their local emergency management agency. This center ring is the first step – what basic supplies should you have prepared?” “The next ring out is an expansion of this concept, and that is person-in-environment. Do you know what to do if you are at work or at a conference or convention? Where is the nearest exit? What will your family do if you are all separated? Who should you all contact?” “The outer-most ring represents the community and being active in it. First responders, emergency planners, local transportation departments and many other officials involved in emergency management are interested in knowing how best to serve the needs of people with disabilities. This third ring represents us, as blind individuals offering our experience and expertise to aid in their planning process to better serve our neighborhoods and communities.” Center for Disability Issues in the Health Professions - Evacuation Preparedness Guide for People with Disabilities WEBSITES AT508.com Emergency Info Online FORMS In a joint statement, AAP and ACEP said: “Both organizations felt that it was important to create the EIF because children with special needs frequently present to the emergency department and other health care sites with no information describing their medical history, physical findings, and important unique management requirements. In addition, their specialty provider may not be available for immediate consultation with the health professionals caring for them. The EIF will ensure that a child’s complicated medical history is concisely summarized and available when it is needed most - when the child presents with an acute health problem at a time when neither parent nor pediatrician is immediately available.” The EIF can be downloaded from the AAP www.aap.org, and ACEP www.acep.org websites. For additional information, contact: TRAININGS KNOWLEDGE NETWORK MEMBERS Center for Excellence in Disabilities (CED): Emergency Management and People with Disabilities
Established in 1978, the CED is part of the Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center at WVU. The Center is part of a national network of University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, and Service (UCEDD). For more information on CED and its emergency management website content, contact: National Organization for Disabilities: Emergency Preparedness Initiative (EPI)
For further information on EPI and NOD, contact: Bridge Multimedia: Emergency Info Online The Center for Disability and Special Needs Preparedness (DPC) DPC resources include print and multimedia materials, bibliographical references, training materials and packages for training professionals on-site or through distance education. In addition, customized technical assistance is available for organizations that are evaluating and/or revising their emergency planning or procedures. For more information, contact: Cambridge Public Health Department: Advanced Practice Center The Cambridge, MA Public Health Department provides services that include emergency preparedness, communicable disease prevention and control, school health, environmental health, health promotion campaigns and data collection and analysis. In Cambridge, the health department and other first responders led the city’s disaster preparedness efforts. The department is focused on health emergencies that could potentially harm many people, such as pandemic flu, food borne diseases, hazardous releases, natural disasters, and terrorism. In 2004, the Department was awarded a grant from the National Association of County and City Health Officials to establish an Advanced Practice Center for Emergency Preparedness, one of eight national demonstration projects. Project Director: Jacqueline Hess |
Late in the morning of February 26, 1993 the two main towers of New York City’s World Trade Center were rocked by an explosion. In minutes acrid smoke was pouring from the buildings’ ventilation systems and, even before the source of the explosion was evident, an evacuation was underway.
Much has changed in the five decades since Cold War “duck and cover” drills proliferated across the nation. Yet even in this age of high-tech instant communication, the “duck and cover” approach to emergency preparedness is often but a snapshot away.
“That number is up significantly from 2003 and continues to creep up, but that’s not nearly good enough,” declares Dr. Barry Cronin, Senior Vice President for Project Development, Bridge Multimedia. What encourages him, however, is another Harris/NOD survey statistic: 47% of people with disabilities have made plans to safely evacuate their homes, up from 39% in 2003.
“When the challenges faced by individuals with disabilities are considered in an emergency context the value of universal design is apparent,” says Dr. Cronin. After all, he continues, “the ultimate objective is to improve the survivability chances for everyone – and the implementation of universal design principles in emergency preparedness can achieve that objective.”
Currently, he notes, “a parent’s first instinct is to be proactive for a child with disabilities in an academic setting. I believe that thinking about how their child – who may have trouble with communication or language symbols and with text -- can cope with an emergency is not yet front-of-mind for parents and not much is being done publicly to make that issue front-of-mind.” Events like a Columbine or a Virginia Tech shooting scenario or a major weather event like a tornado “move those questions to the forefront for a time before they again fade. Those questions need to be asked and answered by all parties.”
The low-tech portion of a plan involves the preparation of tactical evacuation routes and ways to display crucial evacuation information and procedural directions in large print and/or alternative formats. These directions and information displays, Dr. Cronin advises, should be made available to every teacher in every classroom, in every space.
Unfortunately, Bridge Multimedia CEO Matt Kaplowitz explains, cell phone notification is only partly possible. “It is doable in the sense that notification can be provided. The question is, who does a school want to notify, parents or students? If the system is employed to notify students, in most cases students have been chastised for using cell phones in classrooms. Therefore, I’m not sure that cell phone notification of students within the environment of a school would make sense.”
According to Dr. Cronin, “Community outreach involves convincing caregivers and parents of children with disabilities to consider themselves and their children in light of an emergency warning – and then to become advocates on behalf of their kids.”
Housed at West Virginia University, the Center spotlights emergency management issues on its website. Issues addressed in-depth include:
After 9/11/01 the Emergency Preparedness Initiative was created by the National Organization for Disabilities (NOD) to ensure that emergency managers included individuals with disabilities in emergency preparedness, planning, response and recovery. In addition to the oft-cited NOD/Harris Poll surveys on emergency preparedness for individuals with disabilities, EPI initiatives include:
Based in New York City, Bridge Multimedia supports all facets of universally accessible media for government, educational and commercial applications. Accessible media employs state-of-the-art digital technology to provide greater accessibility to a variety of electronic media. Bridge also maintains the Emergency Info Online website, which highlights a universal design approach to emergency preparedness. Bridge services include captioning, bilingual accessibility, accessible website development, cross-disability product design, English as a second language and comprehensive media production. For further information, contact:
The DPC provides resources to assist emergency planning and management organizations in the planning for individuals who need specialized communications, transportation, and medical supports. The Center cooperates with the Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Transportation, and other federal, state and local agencies.
Academy for Educational Development (AED) 1825 Connecticut Avenue, NW 7th Floor Washington, DC 20009-5721
phone: (202) 884-8068 fax: (202) 884-8441 email: fctd@aed.org
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